Life After the Tower chp2
by shortiepai
Summary: chapter two :D
1. Chapter 2

The queen let go of Rapunzel's hand to push open the door. The king was sitting at the end of the table, conversing with Eugene who was next to him.

"Are we alright now?" The king looked at them with hopeful eyes.

"Yes. Everything is fine." The queen gave her husband a kiss on his cheek, and made her way around to the opposite end of the table.

Eugene stood up and embraced Rapunzel in a hug. "She's gone. Gone forever. And I'm never letting anyone take you away from me."

Rapunzel smiled with teary eyes at him. "I know."

He pulled out her chair and allowed her to sit, and proceeded to sit in his own chair. Seven Chefs came out, all dressed in white uniforms, with a single yellow sun on the chest. They placed different platters on the table, each one decorated beautifully.

"Thank you Claude." The King smiled and reached for a stack of pastries.

Rapunzel eyed the different dishes, and laughed as Eugene stabbed a stack of pancakes moving them over to his plate.

"Try the fruit Rapunzel it's freshly grown in the garden!" her Mother pointed to a silver tray, a little smaller than the others sitting close to her.

It took Rapunzel a moment to realize how the fruit was decorated. One of the chefs had carved the large orange melon into the shape of a flower. Not just any flower though … the magic golden flower. It threw her back for a second. The sight of the dreadful flower made her head pound. After Eugene walked her out of that tower, she never wanted anything to do with her old life again.

"No thanks..." Rapunzel stuttered and pushed the platter away, moving her hands to her temples.

"Would you like some of these pancakes?" Eugene looked at her. "They're really good!"

"That's because Claude mixed different things into the batter!" The King said dabbing his mouth with a napkin. "Vanilla, mint, hazelnut, cinnamon-"

Rapunzel clenched her fist. "What did you say?" she whispered.

"Hazelnut-Is something wrong?" the king asked, leaning in forward.

Hazelnut. Hazelnut? Her mind got cloudy and all she heard was Mother Gothel's horrible voice.

"I've made Hazelnut soup my flower! You're favorite!" She'd call

"Thank you mother!" she'd reply

Mother. The name echoed in her brain, refusing to come out.

"No.." she mumbled looking down at her empty plate. "No you're gone!"

Rapunzel looked up from her plate with wide eyes.

"She's gone.." She looked at Eugene. "Right?"

"Forever." He kissed her forehead and proceeded to eat his pancakes.

"I'm not gone!" The voice cackled in her head. "look I'm right over there!"

Rapunzel turned her head to see Gothel standing over the queen's chair.

"Mother!" She screamed. "She's going to- Mother watch out!"

"Rapunzel what?" Her mother quickly spun around, but nothing was there. "what are you talking about?" Her father asked, putting the napkin on the table.

"They don't believe you.." Gothel taunted her. "I'm always going to be here! Forever…"

"NO!" Rapunzel shouted and jumped out of her chair.

"Rapunzel, Love?" Eugene stood up and put a hand on her shoulder. "are you okay?"

"She's here Eugene! She-She's here!"

"Rapunzel what are you talking about?" Her mother stood up as well, walking over to her quickly.

Eugene softly grabbed Rapunzel and held her close, almost rocking her.

"shh, love. It's okay.."

Rapunzel sobbed into his shirt, gripping his vest with aggrivation.

"You better take her up to her room." The king said pressing a hand on his back.

The queen stood, clutching her waist. Eugene nodded, and lifted Rapunzel up, carrying her like a groom would his bride.

"It's okay…" he repeated to her as they walked out the door.


	2. Chapter 3

Rapunzel's large green eyes shot open, her face flushed and her heart beating a lot quicker than normal. Eugene was stroking her dampened hair; humming to her like she was a child.

"Good morning, Love." He whispered, pushing a small lock of hair behind her ear.

Rapunzel sighed and sat up, placing a hand on her forehead.

"I had another night mare." She frowned looking out the window at her kingdom.

"I know, I stayed up all night." Eugene climbed onto bed with her, and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"It wasn't about her this time…" Rapunzel leaned her head into his chest and played with the buttons on his shirt.

"oh?"

"I was… walking. I was walking through the town and this thing…this wolf like thing came and tried to steal this little girl, and I screamed for it to stop, but it just scooped her up and…ran away." She looked up at Eugene with a sigh. "I could have saved her."

Eugene ran his hand across her face and kissed the top of her head. "It was just a dream Blondie. Just a dream."

"I know .." she whispered rolling out of his hug, and off the bed.

"I have a surprise for you." He yawned, stretching out on to the bed like a cat after a nap.

Rapunzel walked over to the large wardrobe in the corner of the room and gripped the handles. "really?" She opened the doors and scanned the dresses.

A few days after her arrival in the castle, her father ordered the royal tailor to make her custom dresses. Her favorite was a dark blue silk dress that went down to her ankles. On the chest were scattered white and gray flowers, and a small diamond in the middle.

"Yes." Eugene nodded and crawled off to the bed, walking over to Rapunzel. He wrapped an arm around her back and pulled her close, leaning his forehead against hers.

"So - get – dressed." He smirked and ruffled her hair.

Rapunzel laughed at him, and pushed him away, scooping Pascal off of his little bed on the counter and placing him on his shoulder.

"Then get out." She teased, pushing them out of the room.

Rapunzel peered her head out of the door, to see Eugene and the Queen, sitting out in the garden.

"Don't go anywhere too far." She begged him, patting his hand. "With how she's been lately, I don't want to take any chances."

Eugene nodded at her every word, a look of concern in his eyes.

"Just in town." He ensured her.

Rapunzel coughed in order to get their attention, and waved a little.

"You look gorgeous." Eugene said as he stood up and walked over to her.

"We're going to the town?" She asked, slightly curtseying to her mother.

"Just c'mon." He chuckled and pulled her through the garden and into the market.

They stopped every couple steps to shake hands, greet villagers, and hug children. Being the Prince and Princess of Corona, didn't allow them to get out easily. A little red headed girl, with 3 braids dangling off her head, leapt into Rapunzel's arms.

"Princess! Princess!" Her tiny voice chirped. "Do you remember me?"

It took her a moment, but she finally realized where the girl was from. On her 18th birthday, the little girl and her sisters braided her 70 ft of golden hair.

"Of course I do!" Rapunzel cooed, brushing her hand against the girls cheek. "what's your name sweetie?"

The girl blushed, and used her finger to play with the flowers on Rapunzel's dress.

"Alana." She giggled and looked up at the Princess with large brown eyes.

Eugene smiled, and placed a hand on Rapunzel's shoulder.

"Well Miss Alana.." He took a flower off of a bush next to them and placed it in one of her braids. "I have a surprise for our dear princess here, would you mind if I stole her away for a while?"

Alana nodded, and climbed out of Rapunzel's arms. Rapunzel waved goodbye, and watched as the tiny girl skipped back to her family, jumping in her mother's arms.

Eugene led Rapunzel into a small room in the back of the Library, where wind chimes decorated in different colored glass hung all over the walls and ceiling. The light from the window caused the whole room to glow different pinks blues and greens.

"Eugene!" Rapunzel gasped at the sight, smiling widely. In the room was a large brown table, covered in books, and a plate of fruits.

"Eugene this is wonderful!" She laughed, throwing her arms around his neck.

Eugene smiled, and placed his hand on the back of her head, nuzzling his face into her shoulder.

"all these books!" She chimed, scurrying over to the books and flipping through the pages. "Thank yo-"

Rapunzel's thank you was interrupted by the sound of clanking glass. The wind chimes above them were shaking, and it seemed as the whole room was rattling.

Eugene grabbed Rapunzel by the waist and held her close, looking out the window.

What he saw made his stomach plummet.

A series of large black horses, ridden by painfully familiar faces. People from the stabbingtons' guild knocked over stands, and pushed people to the ground. Rapunzel gasped as she heard the screams and crashes.

"Eugene what's going on?" She whispered, peering out the window with him.

He didn't answer her. He let go of her waist and ran out the door breathing heavily. Rapunzel followed quickly after him, screaming.

"Eugene Wait!" she cried, stumbling out the Library door. "Eugene!"

When she stepped outside, a man on one of the horses stepped in front of her. "Princess, don't move." He grinned, exposing rotten gray teeth.

Rapunzel's chest felt like it was going to explode. Eugene was nowhere to be found, and she knew they were going to take her. She could feel it.

A tiny voice broke through the crowd.

"Don't touch her!" Alana screamed, scurrying over to Rapunzel and clinging to her leg. "Leave!" She huffed, looking down at the ground.

"What's this?" The man cackled, and reached down, grabbing Alana by the back of her dress.

"Put her down!" Rapunzel shrieked, and reached up to steal Alana back.

The man used his free hand to hit Rapunzel in the shoulder, causing her to fall down.

"Feisty little thing.." He said, examining the now crying little girl. He turned to Rapunzel and gripped her by the arm, hoisting her up on to the horse. He threw Alana at Rapunzel and snarled.

"Now you two can be together! I'd hate for the Princess to have to die alone." The man kicked the side of the horse, and it galloped away.

"EUGENE!" Rapunzel screamed, trying to throw herself off the side of the horse.

"HELP!" She cried. She knew no matter how hard she screamed, he wouldn't hear her. She took a deep breath, and clung to Alana. She had no idea where they were going, and if they were going to die or not.


	3. Chapter 1

Rapunzel twisted the short brown locks that were now her hair in between her fingers. She'd been sitting for hours, wrapped in her mother's arms, her father hovering closely over them. Eugene sat in a chair across the room, gazing at the three with glossy eyes. His stomach plummeted every time Rapunzel would suck in a gasp or exhale with a tear.

"D-dear," the queen said in a whisper to her husband. "Why don't you and Eugene go check on the chefs…? See how breakfast is going?"

The King nodded to her, his face pale and motionless. Eugene stood up and walked over to Rapunzel, Kissing her on the forehead.

"I love you." He mouthed as the King corralled him out of the door.

Rapunzel gave a weak smile at him and flinched as the huge door came to a slam. She looked up at her mother with painful green eyes. The queen replied with a frown and patted her daughter's head. "There there…" she stifled tears as Rapunzel sobbed into her shoulder. "It was just a dream. She's gone and never coming back."

As her eyes shut, Rapunzel watched her dream reply over and over again in horror. The whole atmosphere of it was gray and foggy, making it even more terrifying. She was lying in bed and Eugene had his arms wrapped around her.

"Rapunzel…" he whispered in her ear.

"Mm, yes?" she replied groggily.

Eugene kissed her head and chuckled "I love-"

"You love what?" she laughed, staring at the wall. "Soup? Me? Max?"

He didn't respond. There was silence besides the sound of metal being swiped. She spun around quickly.

"Eugene are you oka-" she stopped and threw her hand on her chest, as if to make sure her heart was still beating.

Standing there, draped in a black and purple robe stood the curly haired woman that she used to call mother. In her hand was a shard of glass similar to the one used to cut her hair. Rapunzel choked as she looked down at the shard. Both it and Gothel's hands were dark red.

"Eugene!" She flipped him on his back and gently shook him. "Eugene please!" She screamed.

Eugene's eyelashes fluttered and a small groan escaped his mouth. Then he fell limp in her arms.

"No! No! not again No!" She was shaking him violently now.

Gothel laughed and wiped the blood on her dress. "Now…" She used her pale bony hand to grab Rapunzel by the wrist. "We're going home where you belong."

"Let me go!" Rapunzel grunted and used her free hand to cling to the bedpost. "Stop it!"

Gothel ignored her plea and pulled her, towards the window. "Wave goodbye to mummy and daddy." she sneered in Rapunzel's ear and threw the both of them out the window.

Rapunzel's eyes flew open, her heart racing and her face flushed. She looked up at her mother who was crying with her. "I know. It was just a dream." She stuttered and gave a weak smile.

The queen smiled with a sigh of relief and nodded. "How about some breakfast?"

"Breakfast would be nice." Rapunzel agreed and stood up, smoothing out the green fabric hanging off her waist.

They clasped hands together and walked out of the room down to the dining room.


End file.
